Quadruple post-inflating machine



Nov. 2, 1965 D. E. ERICSON ETAL 3,214,791

QUADRUPLE POST-INFLATING MACHINE Original Filed May 5, 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS aifbfidld 6. (Fr/c5022,

(14615022, Zeal/I5 ffiYc/Z'ze ATTORNEYS Nov. 2, 1965 D. E. ERICSON ETAL 3,214,791

QUADRUPLE POST-INFLATING MACHINE Original Filed May 5, 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 07701! 6: r/cson Zi/oadsdn '53 372 are 7?obez'f [$9200 lzi r 'ykl 11/115022, ezw's {Wchae ATTORNEYS QUADRUPLE POST-INFLATING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed May 5, 1960 I A INVENTORS H V l 5 domain 5 (if/cyan, 1+1 I [{Avafsoz) '22 15720:? i

7%berf (161112: [M 912% 2/1150, Pea/13' f/Wdiae AT TOR N E Y5 Nov. 2, 1965 D. E. ERICSON ETAL 91 QUADRUPLE POST-INFLATING MACHINE Original Filed May 5, 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 ff Z? g1 IN V EN TORS 11/915077, few): 1: 777671 06 ATTORNEYS Nov. 2, 1965 D. E. ERICSON ETAL 3,214,791

QUADRUPLE POST'"INFLATING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed May 5. 1960 5% w m w m M 1. 8 mm m 3 1 w MM M mg a mm? M ATTORNEVS Nov. 2, 1965 D. E. ERICSON ETAL 3,214,791

QUADRUPLE POST-INFLATING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed May 5, 1960 ATTORNEYS 1965 D. E. ERICSON ETAL 3,

QUADRUPLE POST-INFLATING MACHINE Original Filed May 5, 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS 9 BY Weber? 21/1111 12: 21/12/96) 20 #4 22 I 98012, Iewrs frWa'yae ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,214,791 QUADRUPLE POST-INFLA'HNG MACHINE Donald E. Ericson, Farmington, Robert William Wright, Detroit, and Woodson B. Kilgore, Livonia, Mich, assignors to Firwood Manufacturing Company, Dearborn, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Continuation of application Ser. No. 27,139, May 5, 1960. This application May 11, 1965, Ser. No. 460,838 16 Claims. (Cl. 182) This is a continuation of Serial No. 27,139 filed May 5, 1960, now abandoned.

This invention relates to post-inflating machines by which is meant devices for inflating tires for self-curing and cooling after they have been removed from the molds.

In the manufacture of tires it is customary to use automatic molding machines or presses having twin molds which simultaneously mold two tires. The practice formerly was to hold the tires in these molds for a period of the order of twenty-five or thirty minutes, for example. Recent developments in rubber chemistry have made shorter curing periods possible. However some tires should be inflated and held under pressure for periods longer than these reduced curing or molding periods. And some tire carcasses should be held under pressure while they are cooling after molding. For example it has been found that tires containing nylon cords are improved by holding the cords stretched (as by holding the tire inflated} while the tire is cooling from molding temperature to room temperature, and particularly by stretching while cooling for about twice the molding time. This requires inflation of the tire after molding, and it is of advantage to maintain it throughout the cooling at a pressure much higher than the normal pressure of the tire when in use on a vehicle. For example, it has been found that tires can be held in the mold for approximately one-third of the former normal molding and curing time and inflated to sutlicient pressure outside of the molds while cooling to usual room temperature for about twothirds of the former molding time, and that this produces tires of quality superior to those which have been finished cured in the mold.

However heretofore it has been impractical to carry out this desirable process in production. The construction and arrangement of existing tire factories and of their molding machines have heretofore made it impossible. The post-inflation devices heretofore proposed have been of such size and nature that a sufficient number of them could not be physically placed in an existing tire factory so as to provide sufiicient post-inflation time. This is because the tires had to be removed from the postinflation devices as fast as the tires came from the molds, or because the post-inflation machines were so bulky that they could not be placed to advantage with the molding machines in existing factories.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved, simplified, compact and economical postinfiation device which can be placed in existing tire factories in combination with existing conventional tire molds, and which will provide a post-inflation period, greater than the molding period, a theoretically desirable post-inflation period being twice the molding period.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary post-inflation machine having a number of stations in Patented Nov. 2, 1965 "ice each of which a tire or a set of tires is held inflated, and in which machine the tires are revolved from one station to the other. This simplifies the construction of the machine and the controlling of its operation, and reduces the space required in the machine for the handling and movement of the tires, and thus contributes to the construction of a compact machine which can be placed in existing tire plants and used with existing molding presses as they are now disposed and arranged in such plants, in which space is very limited.

Another object of the invention is to provide a postinfiation machine in which the movement of one set of tires from one station to another station also moves a second set of tires from such other station to still another or back to the first, so that the inflation and cooling of the tires proceeds smoothly and without interruption. This does not require idle stations, storage, superfluous retrograde movements nor rehandling of the tires during the process.

Another object is to provide an entirely automatic inflation machine in which each of the various steps in the process, for example mounting the tires on chucks, locking them on the chucks, inflating the tires, timing of the inflation period, deflation of the tires, releasing them from the chucks, and removal from the machine is initiated by the preceding step in the process and by controls responsive thereto, so that once the machine has been started it carries out the entire process automatically and repeti tively in response to delivery of tires to the post-inflating machine from the molding machine.

Another object is to provide an improved control system in which the tires are moved from one station to another, infiated, and deflated and removed from the chucks by pneumatic devices controlled by valves operated by an automatic electrical control system which is responsive to time, to positioning of the tires in the machine as well as to inflation, deflation and the like. Included in this object is the more specific object of providing a system of control in which, if anything goes wrong at any step of the process, or if any step is not completed, the machine cannot perform the next step, and cannot spoil any tires in the machine.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings each particular reference character always designates the same part throughout the various views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a post inflating device embodying one form of our invention, showing its relation to a tire molding machine.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic front elevation of the post-inflation device parallel to the plane represented by the line 22 in FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a partial back elevation on an enlarged scale, partly broken away, of one form of actual structure of the left half of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 2, this view being taken from the plane represented by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows. The part on the left of the central support in FIGURE 3 is not shown because it is essentially a mirror image of the part which is shown in FIGURE 3, as is indicated by FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a section of the tire elevating and turnover mechanism on the line 44 of FIGURE 3 drawn on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3 drawn on a slightly larger scale than FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a partial section on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1 drawn on a larger scale but indicating a separable chuck half disengaged from its fixed chuck half and held in a resilient support.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section of a tire chuck taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 3 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 4, drawn to an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 9 is a diagram of the pneumatic control system.

FIGURE 10 is a diagram of the electrical control system.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic illustration of an alternative form of the invention providing a loading station and two cooling or storage stations, which provides a cooling time three times the length of the molding time.

FIGURE 12 is a similar diagram of a four-station machine. I

FIGURE 13 is another form of a four-station machine.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts which have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practice-d or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a customary twin molding press periodically and automatically discharges a pair of tires onto the sloping roller conveyors 22 which convey them by gravity into the position indicated by the dotted line representations of the tire 24 in the postinflation machine designated as a whole by 26. This machine automatically moves the tires to the bottom inflation position 24a, inflates the tires, revolves them to the top inflated position 24b, where it stores the tires for a period approximately equal to the shortened curing period of the mold (a second pair of tires meanwhile having entered the machine from the molds at the position indicated by 24), revolves the first pair of tires back to position 24a while revolving the second pair to position 24b, holds the two pairs of tires in these positions for a period approximately equal to the shortened curing period of the mold, then deflates the first pair of tires, returns them to position 24 and finally discharges them from the post-inflating machine before a third pair of tires is ejected from the mold.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the machine does this by means of a left pair of tire chucks 28A and 28B and a right pair of similar chucks 30A and 30B, each pair being mounted on opposite sides of frames 32 and 33 respectively, fixed to a shaft 34 which can be rotated back and forth through 180 to move the chucks and tires between the top position 241) and bottom position 24a. The shaft 34 is supported near its mid-point in a bearing in a stationary frame 36 attached to base 38 of the machine and is connected to an air supply gland or manifold 40 at one end secured to a frame 42 also attached to the base 38. p

As shown in FIGURE 5, the base 38 supports two sets of short conveyor rollers 44 and two long rollers 45 arranged in paths in prolongation of the paths of the conveyor rollers 22, as shown in FIGURE 1, adjustable side guide rollers 46, and adjustable stop gates in the form of rollers 48. The stop gates 48 are supported on pivots 5t), and can be raised into the stop position shown in FIGURE 1 to hold the tiresin the machine, or lowered to the position shown in FIGURE 2, where with rollers 51, they serve as conveyor rollers to assist the finished tires in being discharged by gravity to a single discharge conveyor 52. This is done by links 54 and a pneumatic cylinder 56.

As indicated in FIGURE 2, each chuck 28A, 2813, 30A and 30B comprises a half 58 fixed to a frame 32 or 33 and a half 60 which can be separated from its fixed half to receive a tire. The particular arrangement of the halves and their associated supports and operating mechanism is shown more in detail in FIGURES 3, 7.

Referring to FIGURE 3 whenever a pair of tires is received by the post-inflating machine, those chucks which are at the bottom are separated and their removable halves 60 are placed below the base conveyor rollers 44 and 45. After the tires are conveyed into position and held by the side guide rollers 46 and the upright stop rollers 48, that is, in position 24 shown in FIGURE 1, each chuck half 60 is raised to engage a tire, convey it into position 24a and clamp it between the chuck halves 58 and 60.

This is done by the mechanism shown in detail in FIGURES 3 and 6. Each removable chuck half 60 has a grooved stud 62 by which the chuck half can be secured to a socket 64 by a split spring ring 66 and retainer bushing 67. The socket 64 forms a piston in a pneumatic cylinder 68 rigidly secured to the end of a yoke 70. As shown in FIGURE 5 the yoke includes two arms extending oppositely from a slide 72 to which they are rigidly fastened. The slide is supported on an upright slideway 74 by bearings or guides 76. The slideway is attached to the upright frame 36. The chuck yoke can be raised and lowered by a piston rod 78 (FIGURES 3, 4) connected at its lower end to the chuck arm slide by a pin 80, and connected at its upper end to a piston 81 within an upright pneumatic cylinder 82 When the piston is in its lowermost position, the chuck yoke 70 is in the full line position shown in FIGURE 3 and each lower chuck half 60 is supported by and secured to the socket 64 below the tire posit-ion 24, as shown by the dotted outline of the chuck half. The socket 64 is always urged toward the top of the cylinder 68 with a constant force by air under pressure in the cylinder 68 to provide a resil-ient support for chuck half 60 on the chuck yoke 70.

The position of the removable chuck half 60 when a tire is in position 24, is also shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 5 which shows that the chuck half will pass vertically between conveyor rollers 44, 45 so that the chuck can always be freely moved from below the rollers to a position above them. When the chuck half 60 is in its lower position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 3, it is entirely below the upper surface of the rollers so that a the can be conveyed from the mold into position 24 above the chuck half, where it will be accurately centered by the side guide rollers 46 and the top gate 48. After the tire has thus been centered the lower chuck half 60 is raised to the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 3 by controls which will be explained.

The chuck may be constructed as shown in detail in FIGURE 7. As the chuck half 60 rises it first centers the tire bea d on its conical centering guide or pilot 82, then supports and lifts the lower tire bead on its rim 84 and finally lifts the tire so that its upper bead is seated on the rim 86 of the fixed chuck 'half 58. To understand what happens next it is first ncessary to consider in some detail the construct-ion of the chuck and its locking mechanism.

As shown in FIGURE 7, each fixed chuck half 58 includes a principal body and a removable, interchange able tire ring 112 which is formed with the rim or head support 86. The lower or removable chuck half 60 in cludes a central body 116 to which is secured a removable and interchangeable tire ring including the abovementioned conical guide 82 and rim 84. The stud 62 is also secured to the body 116. As the tire is lifted the -only when, the dogs are in the locking position.

inner surface 126 of the lower body 116 is piloted on a circular group of lock supports 128 formed integral with the upper body 110. As the lower chuck half is further raised the conical guide surface 82 enters the groove 132 in the upper ring 112 so that the rims 84 and 86 are closer together than the combined thickness of the two tire beads. The beads are flattened against each other to press the material of the beads firmly against the rings 84, 86, and thus form an initial seal between the outside of each head and the chuck as shown in FIGURE 3. When this occurs the guide ring 82 may be bottomed in the groove 132 or nearly so as is shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 7.

The spaces between adjacent lock supports 128, form recesses for receiving locking dogs 136 pivoted on pins 137 secured in supports 128. The dogs are held in locked and unlocked position selectively by a circular member 140 placed in slots in the dogs and secured to the end of a hollow locking rod or plunger 142 attached to a piston 144 in a cylinder 146 in the body 110. The cylinder forms a pressure chamber for raising the piston against the force of an unlocking spring 148 by air admitted by a locking passage 147. The unlocking spring 148 is confined between the piston and a stationary bonnet 1511 secured to the body 110. Therefore when air under pressure is admitted to the passage 147 the piston 144 and rod 142 rise to pivot the dogs into the locking position shown in full lines in FIGURE 7 in which the outer points or corners of the locking dog are placed in the path of the shoulder 152 of body 116 so that the body 116 cannot be moved downwardly past the position shown in full lines, which is the position of the chuck halves when the tire is inflated. When the passage 147 and the cylinder 146 are vented the spring 148 pushes the piston and rod assembly down to rotate the dogs about their pivots to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG- URE 7, and this permits the lower or removable chuck half 60 to be removed from the fixed chuck half. When the chuck half 60 is being raised, the dogs are in the unlocked position so that the surface 26 can pass over the dogs into the dotted line position of the surface 26 shown in FIGURE 7. After the chuck half 60 has been raised to seal the beads to the chuck as above described, the dogs are moved into their locking position and then inflation of the tire is begun. This pushes the lower chuck half down against the locking dogs, the shoulder 152 being positively held against further movement by the dogs and thus being positively locked to the upper or fixed chuck half. Force tending to separate the chuck halves urges the dogs 136 to rotate about their pivots but rotation past locking position is prevented by the tails 154 which strike the body 110.

Air is admitted to the interior of the tire from an air pressure system through the hollow stem 142 when, and Ad mission of air to inflate the tire is controlled by suitable controls which will be described, but even should these controls accidentally operate to direct air from the pressure system to the chuck, air cannot enter the chuck unless the dogs are in locking position. This is assured by a valve 178 in the form of an O-ring seated in a groove in the upper end of the rod 142. Whenever the dogs are in unlocked position the O-ring is lowered out of the conical bore 171 in the bonnet 150 to permit communication between the air inlet 172 and the exhaust passage 174, so that no pressure can be built up in the tire. When the dogs are in locked position, the O-ring is in the position shown in FIGURE 7 where it blocks communication between the air inlet 172 and the exhaust outlet 174 so that when air is directed to the inlet it enters the chuck half 60 through hollow stem 142, separates the beads, holds them against the rims 86 and 84, and builds up pressure in the tire.

While the tire is being inflated, the lower side wall presses the chuck half 60 from the position shown in 6 FIGURE 3 into the position shown in FIGURE 7 and shown in full lines in FIGURE 2. This is permitted by the cylinder 68 into which the socket 64 is progressively forced against the uniform resistance of the air pressure in the cylinder.

After the tires have been inflated to the desired pressure in position 24a the chuck arms are forcibly lowered by air pressure above the piston 81 in the cylinder 82. This removes snap rings 66 from the studs 62 to permit the arms 70 to get out of the way of the chucks when they are subsequently revolved. Then the chuck shaft 34 is revolved to interchange the tires between the top and bottom positions.

The mechanism by which this is done is shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. Referring to these figures and to FIGURE 8 the whole shaft 34 includes two tubular halves 188 and 182, each welded to an outer collar 186 which is dowelled and bolted to an inner collar 188. The inner collars are dowelled and bolted to opposite faces of a turn-over gear 190 which is rotatable in bearings 192 in a chuck shaft support 194 secured to or forming part of the upright fran1e36. As shown in FIGURE 4 the support 194 forms a guideway 196 for a rack 198 whose teeth are held in meshing engagement with the teeth of the gear 1% by backing rollers 199. At its lower end the rack is attached to a piston rod 200 secured to a piston 202 reciprocable in a pneumatic cylinder 294 secured to an upright member 206 forming a part of the frame or support 36. When the rack 198 is raised or lowered a full stroke of the piston 202, the chuck shaft 34 is rotated 180 and this interchanges the tires between the positions 24a and 24b. Raising the rack brings the A-chucks, that is 28A and 30A to the top. The rack may be enclosed by a guard 286. In order to position the chucks properly a pad 208 attached to an index arm 210 (FIGURE 3) protruding radially from the half 182 of the shaft 34 strikes either of two adjustable stops 212 or 214 attached to the support on opposite sides of the shaft 34 (FIGURE 1). The stop 212 carries two switches 216 (LS8) and 218 (L848) both actuated by the pad 208 when the A-chucks are at the top, and both released when the A-chucks are at the bottom. These influence the automatic cycling of the machine, as will be explained.

When the machine is first started, all four chucks are separated, a pair of cold tires is placed on the top chucks by hand, the top halves 60 are assembled with the top halves 58, the lower halves 68 are placed on the yoke 70 by hand, and a second pair of cold tires is placed by hand on the rollers 44, 45. This actuates the gates 48 to start the automatic operation of the machine by the con trol system which Will be explained. In general this control system raises the bottom chuck halves 60 and the bottom tires, clamps the bottom tires in the bottom chucks, locks all four chucks, then inflates all four tires. It may or may not rotate the shaft 34 to interchange the A- chucks and B-chucks, but at any rate it lowers the yoke and starts a timer which after a predetermined interval raises the yoke and attaches it to the bottom chucks, deflates the bottom chucks, unlocks the bottom chucks, and lowers the yoke to strip the bottom tires from the bottom chuck halves 60 so that one set of cold tires leaves the machine. The gates 48 then rise. A set of hot tires enters the machine from the molding press. This actuates the gates 48 to start the fully automatic operation of the post-inflation machine. The machine then lifts the hot tires and clamps then in the bottom chucks, lowers the stop gates, removes the yoke from the bottom chucks and lowers it, locks the bottom chucks and inflates the bottom tires, revolves the tires to interchange their position, starts the timer, and after a predetermined time raises the yoke, deflates the bottom cold tires, unlocks the bottom chucks, lowers the yoke to discharge the cold tires and raises the gates 48. Then a second set of hot tires can enter the machine to continue the automatic 7 operation. Each time a pair of tires is discharged from the machine, there is a pair of chuck halves 60 in position below the conveyor ready to be moved into the next pair of tires entering from the molds.

Control system To simplify the explanation of the control system, the control valves and their pneumatic connections to the various operating parts of the machine are shown schematically in FIGURE 9, while FIGURE 10 shows the electrical system by which the valves are operated.

When a tire from the molding press strikes one of the stop gates 48, this gate actuates a switch 300 (LS-6) or 302 (LS7). As will be more extensively explained in connection with FIGURE 10, these switches are connected in series and when both are closed they energize a solenoid 304 (SV-17), shown in the lower left corner of FIGURE 9, which then moves a lift valve 306 up into the position shown in FIGURE 9 against the force of a return spring 308. The lift valve then connects a main air pressure supply line 310 to a yoke elevating or lift line 312 and connects a yoke lowering line 314 to the exhaust port marked EX by means of the crossed connections diagrammatically shown in the lower half of the valve. The lift line 312 supplies air to the lift cylinder 82 beneath the piston 81 (shown in FIGURE 4) to lift the yoke 70 and the pair of tires and removable chuck halves 60 which it carries.

Branching from the elevating line 312 is a stop-gatelowering line 318 which conducts air pressure to the righthand end of the stop gate control cylinder 56, where the pressure moves the piston to the left to pivot the stop gates down into the horizontal position shown in FIGURE 2. The purpose of this is to get the stop gates 43 out of the Way for subsequent rotation of the chuck shaft 34 to interchange the position of the A-chucks and B-chucks. In order not to move the stop gates until the yoke has had time to lift the lower chuck halves 60 to engage the tires and start to lift them, the action of the cylinder 56 is delayed by a choke 320 in the line 318 which restricts flow of air so that pressure does not build up in the cylinder 56 until after pressure has built up in the chamber 82 to a sufficient value to lift the yoke, the chucks and the tires. Branching from the yoke lowering line 314 is a stop-gate elevating line 321 also having a choke 320 and leading to the left end of the cylinder 56, for raising the stop-gates.

When the yoke reaches its uppermost position it strikes a yoke limit switch 324 (LS9) which energizes an A- chuck locking solenoid 326 (SV-18-B) shown above the liftvalve 306 to hold or to move an A-chuck lock valve 328 down, in the position shown in FIGURE 9 so that the horizontal connection diagrammatically shown in the upper half of the valve connects air pressure line 310 to an A-chuck lock line 330, which leads through manifold gland 40 (FIGURE 2) to the locking cylinders 146 of each of the lower or A-chucks. In FIGURE 9 the pneumatic connections are shown to only the left-hand set of chucks 28A and 28B, it being understood that each of the right-hand chucks is operated like the left-hand chucks by extension of these conduits through the tube 34 to the right-hand chucks 30A and 30B. The yoke limit switch 324 (LS-9) also energizes a B-chuck lock solenoid 332 (SV19-B) of a B-chuck solenoid lock valve 334 (shown above the A-chuck lock valve 328) to hold or move this valve in the position shown in FIGURE 9 to connect main line 310 with a B-chuck lock line 336, which conducts air pressure through the manifold gland 40 to both locking cylinders 146 of both B-chucks 30B and 28B. Air pressure in the lines 330 and 336 locks all four chucks. When the lock valves 328 and 324 are moved downward by the solenoids as described, they remain in that position indefinitely until positively moved by unlocking controls which will subsequently be described. Branching from the A-chuck lock line 330 is an A-chuck pilot line 338 which conducts air pressure to an A-chuck inflate vave servo 340 (RV-22), shown at the right of FIGURE 9, which pushes down an A-chuck inflating valve 342 against the force of a return spring 344 into the position shown in FIGURE 9 to connect an A-chuck in flating line 346 to the main line 310 through a reduced pressure line 348 and a pressure regulating and reducing valve 350. A B-chuck pilot line 352 branches from the B-chuck lock line 336 to conduct air pressure to the B- chuck inflate valve servo 354 (RV-23) to push the B- chuck inflating valve 356 downward into the position shown in FIGURE 9 against the force of a return spring 358 to connect a B-chuck inflating line 360* to the reduced pressure line 348. Therefore when the yoke limit switch 324 (LS-9) has energized the locking solenoids 326 (SV18B) and 332 (SV-19B) all four chucks are locked and all four chucks are then inflated provided each locking means has operated and has moved its safety valve (FIGURE 7) into inflating position.

When the pressure has built up in the A-chucks to a predetermined value which may be for example 50 p.s.i., this pressure closes an A-chuck pressure switch 362 (PS 10) connected to the A-chuck inflating line 346, to revolve the A-chucks to the top through the turn-over valve 366 (shown in the lower right corner of FIGURE 9). It does this by energizing an A-chuck turn-over solenoid 364 (SV-ZOA). This moves or holds (as the case may be) the turn-over valve 366 in the position shown in FIG- URE 9 in which the diagrammatic cross connections conduct air pressure from main line 310 to the A-chuck turn-over line 368 which leads to the lower end of turnover cylinder 204 beneath piston 202. The turn-over valve also connects the upper end of cylinder 204 to exhaust by B-chuck turn-over line 370.

Since the B-chucks are inflated at the same time as the A-chucks, a B-chuck pressure switch 372 (PS-11) connected to the B-chuck inflating line 360 Will also be closed which tends to revolve the B-chucks to the top by energizing B-chuck turn-over solenoid 374 (SV-20B) the function of which is opposite to that of solenoid 364 (SV-20A) namely to move or hold valve 336 up, as FIG- URE 9 is seen, for the purpose of lowering piston 202 in turn-over cylinder 204. This apparent conflict between solenoid 374 (SV-20B) and 364 (SV-20A) cannot have any effect on the turn-over valve 366. The valve 336 will remain indefinitely in whichever position it has been placed by the first solenoid to be energized until it is positively moved by the other solenoid, and this cannot occur unless the other solenoid is energized while the first solenoid is de-energized. The air gap for the core or armature of the first solenoid after it has moved the valve is very small, or nonexistent so that the first solenoid energized holds the valve with relatively large force, as is known. The air gap for the core of the other solenoid which has not operated the valve is very large and if this solenoid is now energized the force which it can exert cannot overcome the force of the first energized solenoid, as is known.

Ordinarily the two pressure switches will not operate simultaneously. It makes no difference which switch operates first because in the initial cycle of the automatic operation of the machine with the cold tires it makes no difference which pair of chucks or which set of tires is at the top. It is only necessary to have all four chucks loaded with tires. The timing operation is controlled by timing only the chucks which are at the bottom as will be explained.

When the elevating or lift valve 306 (SV-17) applies air to the cylinder 82 to lift the yoke, the tires will be lifted out of contact With the stops 48 and this will permit the gate switches 300 (LS6) and 302 (LS7) to open. This would de-energize the lift solenoid 304 (SV17) of the lift valve 306 unless means were taken to prevent it.

In order to prevent this, when the gate switches 300 (LS-6) and 302 (LS7) are closed, they establish a holding circuit which holds the lift solenoid 304 energized to 9 continue lifting the yoke 76 and hold it lifted until the holding circuit is broken by controls which will subsequently be described.

When either of the pressure switches 362 (PS-) or 372 (PS11) is closed it does two things. First it energizes one of the solenoids of the turn-over valve 366 as has been explained above. However the chucks cannot be turned over until the yoke 70 has been moved out of the Way of the lower set of chucks. Initiating controls which lowers the yoke is the second thing done by the pressure switches. Closing of either pressure switch breaks the holding circuit for the lift solenoid 304 (SV-17) of lift valve 306 (SV-17) which has been referred to above and which will be described in greater detail in connection with the electrical diagram FIGURE 10. When this holding circuit is broken the spring 308 moves the lift valve 306 down in FIGURE 9 to a lower position in which the straight-through connections diagrammatically represented in the upper half of the valve are efiective to vent or exhaust the yoke lift line 312 and supply air pressure to the yoke lowering line 314. This supplies sufiicient force to the upper side of the piston 81 to force the spring retaining rings 66 off of the studs 62 (which are held by the locking dogs on the bottom chucks) and lower the yoke all the way, that is to the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 3, so that the yoke will not interfere with the turn-over mechanism. In order to delay the operation of the turn-over mechanism until the yoke has been lowered, each of the turn-over lines 368 and 370 is provided with a choke 376. These chokes act like the previously described choke 329 to prevent building up of pressure in the turn-over cylinder until operating pressure has built up in the upper or lowering end of the lift cylinder 82 and has had time to get the yoke out of the way.

When the A-chucks are on top, the index arm 210 shown in FIGURE 3 closes the two switches 216 (LS8) and 218 (L849) previously referred to. Switches 216 (LS8) determines which pressure switch starts the operation of a timer which is set to initiate the deflating and unlocking of the chucks after the passage of the appropriate time. The switch 218 (LS-10) directs the unlocking impulse to the correct chuck which happens to be on the bottom at the end of the time interval. After the period measured by the timer, the yoke 70 is raised and is attached to the studs 62 of the bottom set of chucks, as will be explained. After the tires in the bottom chucks are deflated and the chucks are unlocked, the yoke is lowered so that the conveyor rollers 44 and 45 strip the tires from the detached halves of the chucks and the tires are ejected by gravity from the post-inflation machine. Then the machine is ready to receive a new set of tires from the molding press 20.

Electrical control FIGURE 10 is the electrical diagram of the apparatus which operates the valves shown in FIGURE 9. The devices shown operate in sequence from the top to the bottom of the drawing. The numbers from 463 to 484 along the left-hand edge indicate the positions on the drawing of the various symbols shown opposite these numbers, to help locate the symbols when reading this explanation. To simplify the representation of the Wiring in FIGURE 10 and to make the drawings easier to read, devices having interdependent operating parts have been represented functionally at the expense of accurate spatial representation. This has required separation in space on the paper of parts of a single device. For example the solenoid 508 (AR-10) at position 464 operates two switches or sets of contacts 510 (ARIQ) at position 466 and 513 (ARltl) at position 469. In such cases the parts which are separated from their operator are all connected to that operator by a broken line. Also while the diiferent parts necessarily are designated by different reference characters, the various reference characters for parts of the same device all include the same symbol, to indicate that.

10 all parts bearing that symbol belong to the same device. In the example given above the symbol AR-10 included in the reference characters 508 (AR-10), 510 (AR-10) and 513 (AR-10) designate different parts of the same relay in which the coil 508 (AR10) operates switches 510 (AR-10) and 513 (AR-10).

The electrical control system is supplied by main lines 500 (L-l) and 502 (L-Z) through a manually operated switch 504 at position 463. A selector switch 506 (25) at position 464 can short-circuit either of the normally open stop gate switches 300 (LS6) or 302 (LS7) at position 465, previously referred to, so that the short-cir-. cuited switch acts as if it were closed by a tire. This permits operation of either half of the postinflating machine alone. If the selector switch short-circuits the gate switch 300 (LS-6) the machine will operate the tires and chucks 36A and 3013 only, it not being necessary to have any tires in chuck 28A or 28B to enable the machine to op.' crate automatically. This is useful in instances when the tire mold presses can deliver tires from only one mold.

When both of the gate switches 360 (LS-6) and 302 (LS-7) are closed they energize the yoke lift solenoid 304 (SV-17) at position 465 by connecting the open side of that solenoid to line 500 (L-l), the other side being permanently connected to line 502 (L-2) as shown. The yoke lift solenoid 304 (SV-17) operates the yoke lift valve 306 (FIGURE 9) as above described to direct air pressure to the lower end of the lift cylinder 82. This raises the yoke 70. Since the gate switches Silt] (LS-6) and 302 (LS-'7) will be opened as soon as the yoke lifts the tires out of contact with the stop gate 48, these switches, when closed, establish a holding circuit for the yoke lift solenoid 364 (SV-17) through a holding or cycling relay, each of whose various parts is designated by a reference character which includes the symbol AR 10. The gate switches do this by connecting the open side of the coil of a cycling relay 508 (AR-10) at position 464 to line 500 (L1) through normally closed switch 509 (AR-13) at position 464. When this coil is thus energized it closes normally open switch 510 (AR- 10) at position 466 in any suitable known manner, as by a magnetic and mechanical operator indicated by the broken line connecting 508 (AR-10) and 510 (AR-10) in FIGURE 10. Closing this switch connects both cycling relay coil 508 (AR-10) and yoke lift solenoid 304 (SV-17) to line 506 (L1) through normally closed switches 511 (AR-11) and 512 (ARIZ) both at position 466. This establishes the holding circuit through yoke lift solenoid 304 (SV17) and through the cycling relay coil 508 (AR-10) to maintain these energized when the gate switches 300 (LS-6) and 302 (LS7) are subsequently opened by removal of the tires from the gates 48.

Cycling relay coil 5&8 (AR-10) when energized also closes normally open switch 513 (AR-10) at position 469 as indicated by the broken line connecting 512 (AR- 10) at position 466 and 513 (AR-10) at position 469. The purpose of this will be explained below.

Closing of the gate switches 300 (IS6) and 302 (LS- '7) also energizes a timer clutch 52th (TR-2) at position 467 through normally closed switch 522 (AR-13) at position 466 and the holding circuit previously described maintains this clutch energized. The clutch is part of a timer, each of whose part is designated by a reference character including the symbol TR2. The timer opens and closes various switches to effect various operations which will be described in sequence as they occur. When the timer clutch is energized, it does not start the timing operation but it resets the timer so that it can start timing at the appropriate stage of the operation.

For purposes of the present stage of the explanationthe timer operates to switches 526 (TR-2) at position 471 and 528 (TR2) at position 481 as indicated by the broken lines connecting these switches to the clutch 520 (TR2). When the timer has been reset by the clutch as described, switch 526 (TR-2) at position 471 is closed I I and switch 528 (TR-2) at position 482 is open as shown in FIGURE 10, but at the end of the timing period, that is when the timer has timed out, the switch 526 (TR-2) is opened and the switch 528 (TR-2) is closed as will be explained.

As so far described, it is assumed that there is a pair of cold tires in the top chucks at position 24b of FIGURE 1 and a pair of cold tires is placed on the rollers 44 and 45, to operate the gate switches so that the control system has started to lift the lower chuck halves 60 into the latter tires, has established a holding circuit for the lift valve control, has energized the timer clutch and established: a holding circuit for it, has reset the timer to close the switch 526 (TR-2) at position 471 and open switch 528 (TR-2) at position 482 as is shown in FIGURE 10. The yoke now continues to lift until the tires and the separable halves 60 of the bottom chucks are in the position 24a shown in FIGURE 3 with the beads of the tires compressed as there shown. When the chuck halves 60 reach this position, the previously mentioned yoke limit switch 324 (LS-9) at position 469 closes. This locks and inflates all four chucks by completing a circuit from line 500 (L-l) through switch 513 (AR10) at position 469, which was recently closed by cycling relay coil 508 (AR- 10) at position 464 as above described, which circuit energizes both chuck-locking solenoids 326 (SV-ISB) at position 468 and 332 (SV-19B) at position 469. As has been explained these solenoids when energized open the lock valves 328 and 334 (FIGURE 9) which both lock all four chucks and open pilot valves 324 and 356 (FIG- URE 9) to initiate the inflating of all four tires. When the tires are inflated to a predetermined pressure, the pressure responsive switches 362 (P840) at position 474 and 372 (PS-11) at position 475 close as has been explained. What they do depends on the condition of index arm switch 216 (LS18) in FIGURE 9, which is actuated by the index arm 21%, and which has a set of normally closed contacts 530 (LS8) at position 471 and a 'set of normally open contacts 532 (LS8) at position 479. Thus it is necessary to explain the switch 216 (LS- 8) before proceeding.

This 216 (LS8) switch is actuated by the index arm to open normally closed contacts 530 (LS-8) and to close normally opened contacts 532 (LS-8) whenever the A-chucks are in the upper position. The switch is released when the index arm is moved back in the course of revolving the B-chucks to the upper position. When the switch is released, that is when the B-chucks are in the upper position, it closes the normally closed contacts 530 (LS8) at position 471 and opens the normally opened contacts 532 (LS-8) at position 479. This latter condition is shown in FIGURE 10 which shows the control system when the A-chucks are at the bottom.

The yoke lift limit switch 32 (LS-9) at position 489 has now locked all four chucks and the inflation has begun. Assume that the A-chucks are at the bottom. Then contacts 530 (LS8) at position 471 are closed and contacts 532 (LS8) at position 478 are open, because the switch 216 (LS-8) is released as shown in FIG- URE 10.

Assume that the A-chuck pressure switch 362 (PS10) at position 474 closes before the B-chuck pressure switch 372 (PS11) at position 478. This establishes three circuits which perform the following operations.

The first circuit is through initially closed contacts of the A-chuck-turn-over-break switch 540 (TR-3) at position 473 to the A-chuck-cycle-relay-break coil 542 (AR11) at position 473. This opens normally closed switch 511 (AR-11) at position 466 which breaks the holding circuit of the yoke lift solenoid 304 (SV17) at position 465 and the holding circuit of the cycle relay 508 (AR10) at position 464 which latter then opens switch 510 (AR-10) at position 466. The released yoke lift valve 306 (FIGURE 9) now returns the yoke to the bottom as previously explained. Opening of switch 511 (AR-11') at position 466 also de-energized the timer clutch 52(3 (TR-2) at position 467, but this has no immediate effect except to condition the clutch for its next operation. When the cycle relay coil 50% (AR-10) at position 464 is de-energized it also opens switch 513 (AR1tl) at position 469 and this de-energizes both inflation solenoids 326 (SV-18B) at position 467 and 327 (SV19B) at position 469. This releases the inflation valves 328 and 334 (FIGURE 9) and so conditions these valves to be closed later to deflate the tires, but the released valves remain open or in the inflating position until they are positively closed by deflating solenoids as will be explained.

The second circuit is also through normally closed A- chuck-turn-over-break switch 54-0 (TR3) at position 473, to the A-chuck-turn-over solenoid 364 (SV20A) at position 471. This moves or holds, as the case may be, the turn-over valve 366 in the position shown in FIGURE 9, so that after the delay effected by the choke 376 in line 368, the A-chucks are revolved to the top. The delay caused by the choke lets the yoke 70 be detached from the A-chucks and lowered out of the way of movement of the chucks. When the A-chucks are at the top the index arm 210 actuates the index arm switch 216 (L545) and this opens contacts 530 (LS-8) at position 471 and closes contacts 532 (LS-8) at position 479, contrary to the showing in FIGURE 10.

The third circuit energizes a delayed opening device, such as a heating coil, 544 (TR3) at position 476, which after an appropriate delay such as two seconds, opens the A-chuck-turn-over-break switch 540 (TR-3) at position 473, and holds it open as long as the A-chuck pressure switch 362 (PS-10) is closed, that is as long as the A-chucks are inflated. Opening the switch 540 (TR3) interrupts the current to the A-chuck turn-over solenoid 364 (SV20A) so that the B-chuck turn-over solenoid 374 (SV20B) shown at position 476 and shown in FIG- URE 9 can, when later energized, move the turn-over valve up as FIGURE 9 is viewed, to revolve the B-chucks to the top. Opening of A-chuck-turn-over-break switch 540 (TR3) also interrupts the current to the yoke-liftbreak relay coil 542 (AR11) at position 473 which closes switch 511 (AR-11) at position 466 to prepare for the next closed of the holding circuit for cycle relay 5% (AR-10) and the lift valve solenoid 364 (SV-17).

Assume that the B-chuck pressure switch 372 (PS-11) at position 479 closes immediately after the A-chuck pressure switch 362 (PS1G) at position 474. When the B-chuck pressure switch closes it establishes five circuits which perform the following operations.

The first circuit energizes the B-chuck turn-over solenoid 374 (SV20B) at position 477 through initially closed switch 550 (TR4) of a B-chuck-turn-over-break relay at position 477. This has no immediate effect becauses as previously mentioned, the A-chuck-turn-overbreak siwtch 540 (TR-3) is still closed and the solenoid of the A-chuck turn-over 364 (SV-ZtiA) is energized, so that its magnetic force cannot be overcome by the B- chuck turn-over solenoid 374 (SV20B).

The second circuit is to the coil of the B-chuck-cyclerelay-break 552 (AR12) at position 477 which opens normally closed switch 512 (AR12) at position 466. This has no immediate effect because switch 511 (AR- 11) as position 466 is temporarily held open by the coil 542 (AR-11) at position 474.

The third circuit is to the timing device such as a heating element 554 (TR4) at position 481 which opens switch 550 (TR-2) at position 477 after the appropriate delay such as two seconds. When this opens it de-energizes coil 552 (AR-12) at position 477 to close switch 512 (AR-12) at position 466 and de-energizes the B- chuck turn-over solenoid 374 (SV-ZOB) at position 476.

Since the A-chucks are now at the top of the machine and the switch 216 (LS-8) is actuated so that contacts 539 (LS8) at position 471 are opened and contacts 532 13 (LS8) at position 479 are closed, contrary to the illustration in FIGURE 10. Therefore the closed contacts 532 (LS8) at position 478 permit the establishment of the fourth and fifth circuits by the B-chuck pressure switch 372 (PS-11) at position 479.

The fourth circuit is through closed switch 532 (LS- 8) at position 478 through closed timer switch 526 (TR- 2) at position 471 to the timer motor 559 (TR2M) 470. This starts the timing period.

The fifth circuit is also through closed switches 532 (LS8) at positions 479 and 526 (TR-2) at position 471 and this does two things; first it energizes a relay 546 (AR-14) which sends a signal to the molding press 20 indicating that all four chucks are loaded with inflated tires and that timing has started, and second it lights a pilot light 548 indicating visually to an operator that all four chucks hold inflated tires.

Now the A-chucks are at the top, the B-chucks are at the bottom, the turn-over valve is in position to hold the chucks in these positions, the turn-over solenoids are both de-energized, switches 512 (AR12) and 511 (AR11) at position 466 are closed, the cycle relay 508 (AR-10) at position 464 is de-energized, the switches 510 (AR-10) at position 466 and 513 (AR10) at position 469 are open and the timer is operating to measure a period equal to half the post-inflation time. Since each pair of tires is held inflated in each of the upper and lower positions for half the desired post-inflation period, each tire is held inflated for the full period desired before it can be discharged from the machine.

At the end of the period determined by the timer, the timer moves to its timed-out position in which switch 528 (TR-2) at position 481 is closed and switch 526 (TR-2) at position 471 is open, contrary to the showing of FIGURE 10. The opening of this latter switch stops the timer motor, de-energized coil 546 (AR-14) of the molding press signal relay at position 470 and extinguishes the signal light 548 at position 471.

It will be recalled that switch 218 (LS-10) is operated synchronously with switch 216 (LS-8) both shown in FIGURES 3 and 9 and it will be recalled that they have been actuated by the index arm when the A-chucks were revolved to the top. The switch 218 (LS10) is like switch 216 (LS-8) and has a normally closed set of contacts 558 (LS-10) at position 483 in FIGURE 10 and a normally open set of contacts 560 (LS-10) at position 484. The contacts 558 (LS-10) are now open and the contacts 560 (LS10) are closed contrary to the showing in FIGURE 10, since the A-chucks are at the top.

The closing by the timer of switch 528 (TR2) at position 481 establishes three circuits which do the following things. The first circuit, for a limited period of time, which may be fifteen seconds for example, energizes the time-out relay coil 562 (AR-13) at position 481 through initially closed switch 563 (TR-) at position 481. This in turn does three things. First it closes normally open relay switch 564 (AR-13) at position 468 to energize lift valve solenoid 304 (SV-17) at position 465 which lifts the yoke 70 to attach it to the separable halves of the B- chucks in preparation for lowering them after they have been deflated and unlocked. However the yoke cannot lift high enough to operate the yoke limit switch 324 (LS-9) because it is held away from this switch by the inflated tire. Second, it opens normally closed relay contacts 522 (AR13) at position 466 which prevents resetting of the timer by breaking the circuit to the timer clutch 520 (T R-2) at position 466. Third it opens normally closed contacts 509 (AR13) at position 464 which prevents operation of the cycling relay 508 (AR-) at position 464.

The second circuit through closed contacts 560 (LS- 10) energizes B-chuck deflating solenoid 566 (SV19A) which as shown in FIGURE 9 moves the B-chuck inflating valve 334 to its upper position in which the cross connections are eifective so that the B-chuck lock line 336 (FIGURE 9) and the B-chuck inflating pilot line 332 are both connected to the exhaust port labelled EX. When the tires on the B-chucks are completely deflated, the unlocking springs 148 (FIGURE 7) in the B-chucks unlock these chucks to permit the lower separable halves, which are now held by the yoke as shown in FIGURE 6, to be lowered.

The third circuit energizes a delayed opening device such as a heating element 570 which determines the fifteen second lapse referred to and then opens and holds open the contacts 563 (TR5). This delay is to allow time to complete deflation of the tires on the B-chucks and to unlock these chucks. Opening of the switch 563 (TR-5) at position 481 opens the circuit previously esstablished through the lift valve solenoid 394 (SV-17) at position 465 so that the lift valve 306 in FIGURE 9 lowers the yoke 70 which now carries with it a set of removable B-chuck halves and the first set of cold tires. Lowering of the yoke strips the tires from the chucks, as has been explained, and the tires slide out of the machine over the rollers 44 and 45 and the lowered gate rollers 48. Meanwhile the lift line 321 for the gate 48 has been pressurized by the yoke lift valve 306 but the choke 320 has delayed lifting of the gate. Now the gates lift and the machine is ready to receive the first set of hot tires from the molding press. The opening of switch 563 (TR5) at position 481 also de-energized the timedout relay 562 (AR-13) at position 481. This closed normally closed switch 509 (AR-13) at position 464 so that the cycle relay 508 (AR-16) could be energized when the gate switches 360 (LS6) and 302 (LS-7) at position 465 are now closed by the incoming set of tires; closed normally closed switch 522 (AR-13) at position 466 so that the timer clutch 520 (TR2) at position 466 can also be energized by the gate switches to reset the timer; and opened normally opened switch 564 (AR-13) at position 468 to prevent the now closed timer switch 528 (TR-2) at position 481 from immediately energizing the cycle relay coil 598 (AR10) at position 464.

Now when the new tires come in from the molding press, they strike the gates and energize the gate switches to start a new cycle of postinflation machine. This new cycle operates as above described down to the point where the yoke limit switch 324 (LS9) is closed.

During the last part of the operation described above, the A-chuck pressure switch 362 (P340) at position 474 has remained closed, the turn-over valve 366 has remained in position to hold the A-chucks at the top, and both turn-over solenoids 364 (SV20A) at position 471 and 374 (SV20B) at position 476 have been de-energized by the opened switches 540 (TR-3) at position 473 and 559 (TR4) at position 477. However, when the B- chucks were deflated, B-chuck pressure switch 372 (PS 11) at position 479 open and this interrupted the circuit to the heating element 554 (TR4) at position 481 and this allowed switch 550 (TR4) at position 477 to close so that the B-chuck turn-over solenoid 374 (SV- 20B) can be energized the next time the B-chuck pressure switch 372 (P841) at position 478 is closed.

Now when the yoke limit switch 324 (LS9) at position 469 is closed by raising the first set of hot tires into the B-chucks, both inflate solenoids 326 (SV18B) at position 467 and 327 (SV-19B) at position 469 have been de-energized, although the A-chuck inflate valve 328 has remained in its inflating position. Now the closing of the yoke limit switch 324 (LS-9) at position 469 energizes both inflate solenoids 326 (SV18B) and 332 (SV19B) again. The A-chuck inflate solenoid 326 (SV-18B) has no effect, it simply holds the A-chuck inflate valve 328 in the inflate position in which it has been, but the B-chuck inflate solenoid 332 (SV-19B) moves the B-chuck inflate valve 334 from its deflate position to its inflate position. The A-chuck delay relay 540 (TR-3) at position 473 continues to be held opened by its heating element 544 (TR3) at position 476 so that the A-chuck turn-over solenoid 364 (SV-A) is de-energized. Consequently when the B-chuck pressure switch 372 (PS-11) at position 478 is now closed it energizes the B-chuck turn-over solenoid 374 (SV20B) at position 476 which put the B-chucks on top and releases turn-over indicator switches or index arm switches 216 (LS8) and 218 (LS10) to close contacts 530 (LS8) at position 471 and contacts 558 (LS10) at position 483 and open contacts 532 (LS-8) at position 479 and open contacts 560 (LS8) at position 484, all as shown in FIG. 10.

Also closing of the B-chuck pressure switch 372 (PS-11) at position 479 energizes the B-chuck-cyclerelay-break relay coil 552 (AR-12) at position 477 which has the same eifect as before described, opening switch 512 (AR12) at position 466 which breaks the holding circuits to the cycle relay coil 508 (AR10) at position 464 and to the lift solenoid 304 (SV-17) at position 465. This returns the yoke 70 to the bottom, in the manner previously explained.

Also the timer motor 534 (TR2)M at position 470 is started again, either through closed switch 530 (LS-8) at position 471, A-chuck pressure switch 362 (PS-10) at position 474, and closed timer switch (reset) 526 (TR-2) at position 471 or else through closed contacts 532 (LS-8) at position 479, B-chuck pressure switch 372 (SP-10) at position 478 and closed switch 526 (TR-2) of the reset timer at position 471. Whether contacts 530 (LS-8) or contacts 532 (LS8) start the timer depends on how long it takes the B-chuck turnover mechanism to release switch 216 (LS-8) which includes both sets of contact 530 (LS8) and 532 (LS-8).

Closing of B-chuck pressure switch 372 (PS11) at position 479 also lights the signal light 548 at position 471 and energizes the molding press signal relay at position 470.

Now the timer is timing the original set of cold tires in the A-chucks at the bottom. At the end of the timing period the timer switch 526 (TR-2) at position 471 will open and this will have the same results as previously described above, when the timer has timed out for the B-chucks with this exception, namely the A-chucks instead of the B-chucks now will be deflated, unlocked, lowered and their tire discharged from the machine. Now the B-chucks at the top are secured against deflation by the switch 218 (LS-10) in FIG. 3 which is now released to close contacts 558 (LS-10) at position 483 in FIG. 10, and open contacts 568 (LS-10) at position 484 both as shown in FIG. 10. With these contacts in the positions just described, closing of the timer switch 528 (TR-2) at position 481 at the end of the timing period energizes the A-chuck deflate solenoid 576 (SV-ISA) at position 483 and cannot energize the B-chuck deflate solenoid 566 (SN-19A). The A-chuck deflate solenoid now moves the A-chuck inflate valve 328 (FIG. 9) up to the position in which the crossed pneumatic connections are effective, that is it closed the valve to vent the A-chuck lock line 330 and vent the A-chuck pilot inflate line 328. This deflates the A- chucks, unlocks them after deflation, so that the A-chucks are now lowered by the yoke, stripped, and their tires discharged from the machine, all as previously described for the B-chucks. The gates 48 then rise and the machine is ready for a new set of hot tires, which when received trip the gate switches 300 (LS6) and 302 (LS-7) at position 465 to start a new cycle. This repeats itself indefinitely as long as tires are delivered to the postinflation machine by the molding press.

It will be observed that the controls are so arranged that should anything go wrong at any stage of the process the machine will be stopped automatically, cannot proceed to the next step of the process and cannot spoil any tires. For example unless two tires are delivered from the molding press when the machine is set for operation of both sides by the switch 506 (2S) at position 464 the post-inflation machine cannot start operating. Or, if for some reason the yoke does not lift properly and sufliciently to compress the beads of the tires in the bottom chuck to form an initial seal with the rim, then the yoke limit switch 324 (LS-9) at position 460 cannot be closed to energize the locking solenoid 326 (SV-18B) at position 467 and 327 (SV-19B) at position 469. Unless the chucks are locked nothing further can happen, because inflation cannot begin due to the arrangement of the fail-safe valves in the chucks. Again, even if the chucks are properly locked and the inflating valves are open so that iniflation does begin, and then for some reason any tire should not be inflated as, for example, because the bead did not seal properly on the rim, then the operation of the machine cannot continue because the pressure switches 352 (PS-10) and 372 (PS11) could not be closed to start the succeeding steps in the process. If the machine should be stopped at any point in the process by any of the safety devices just described no harm will be done because the tires cannot be harmed by staying in the post-inflation machine. It is noted that when all four tires are properly inflated a visual signal is made and a signal is sent to the molding press by the molding press signal relay 546 (AR-14) at position 470. This signal can be used to perform any desired operation in the molding press or stop any desired operation as may be required to prevent spoiling of any tires.

Instead of the air pressure gland 40 in FIG. 3 for conducting inflation and control pressure to the apparatus, flexible hoses may be used to connect the conduits 330, 336, 346 and 360 to matching conduits in the rotatable arm 34.

Our invention contemplates any suitable number of inflation and cooling stations. For example we may use a triangular support 320 as shown in FIG. 11 to which three tire chucks may be secured which simultaneously hold three tires in a loading and unloading position 322 and two storage positions 324 and 326. This permits continuous step-by-step rotation in the same direction, but requires the pressure gland 40 of FIG. 3 instead of the hose connections referred to.

Or we can use a four-chuck arrangement as shown in FIG. 12 having a four-sided support 420, a loading and unloading position 422, and three storage positions 424, 426 and 428. To save space the four positions may be arranged as shown by the corresponding prime numbers in FIG. 13.

We claim:

1. A tire inflating machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, a tire inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to transfer a tire between the receiving support and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to one position on the inflation support, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to a second position on the inflation support, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein to support such tire on the inflation support, a pair of pressure operated means each of which selectively locks and unlocks one chuck, a pair of valves each of which controls one of said pressure operated means, a pair of first solenoids each of which holds one of said valves in locking positions, means responsive to locking of each chuck for inflating the tire in such locked chuck, means responsive to assembly of one chuck for completing a circuit to energize both first solenoids to lock both chucks and inflate both tires, a timing device adapted when started to measure automatically a predetermined period of time and to signal the ending of such period, means responsive to establishment of a predetermined pressure in both tires for starting the timing device and for transferring the tires between the loading station and the storage station, means e p nsive to the establishment of a predetermined pressure in both tires for interrupting said circuit to de-energize both first solenoids, said valves including means for maintaining the valves in position to hold the chucks locked when said circuit is broken, and means responsive to the timing device signal for moving one of said valves to deflate one of said tires.

2. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a first position, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a second position angularly displaced from the first position, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support to transfer the tires between said stations, a first control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in one of the tires for actuating the rotating means to transfer one of said tires from the loading station to the storage station, and a second control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for actuating the rotating means to transfer to the loading station that tire which the first control means transfers to the storage station, the control means including means responsive to actuation of that one of the two control means which first actuates the rotating means for preventing actuation of the rotating means by the other one of the control means.

3. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support in a position diametrically opposite to the first half, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support through 180 in either sense of rotation to transfer the tires between said stations, a first control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in one of the tires for actuating the rotating means through 180 in one sense of rotation, and a second control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for actuating the rotating means through 180 in the opposite sense of rotation, the control means including means responsive to actuation of that one of the two control means which first actuates the rotating means for preventing actuation of the rotating means by the other one of the control means.

4. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a first position, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a second position angularly displaced from the first position, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support to transfer the tires between said stations, a first control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in one of the tires for actuating the rotating means to transfer one of said tires from the loading station to the storage station and a second control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for actuating the rotating means to transfer to the loading station that tire which the first control means transfers to the storage station, the control means including means responsive to actuation of that one of the two control means which first actuates the rotating means for preventing actuation of the rotating means by the other one of the control means and means responsive to passage of a predetermined time after operation of either one of the two control means for preventing operation of one of the two control means.

5. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a first position, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a second position angularly displaced from the first position, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support to transfer the tires between said stations, a first control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in one of the tires for actuating the rotating means to transfer one of said tires from the loading station to the storage station and a second control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for actuating the rotating means to transfer to the loading station that tire which the first control means transfers to the storage station, the control means including means responsive to actuation of that one of the two control means which first actuates the rotating means for preventing actuation of the rotating means by the other one of the control means and means responsive to passage of a predetermined time after operation of either one of the two control means for preventing operation of the other of the two control means.

6. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a first position, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a second position angularly displaced from the first position, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support to transfer the tires between said stations, a first control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in one of the tires for actuating the rotating means to transfer one of said tires from the loading station to the storage station and a second control means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for actuating the rotating means to transfer to the loading station that tire which the first control means transfers to the storage station, the conrol means including means responsive to actuation of that one of the two control means which first actuates the rotating means for preventing actuation of the rotating means by the other one of the control means and means responsive to passage of a predetermined time after operation of either one of the two control means for preventing operation of both of the control means.

7. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a first position, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a second position angularly displaced from the first position, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support to transfer the tires between said stations, a first pressure operated means for actuating the rotating means to transfer one of said tires from the loading station to the storage station, a second pressure operated means for actuating the rotating means to transfer to the loading station that tire which the first pressure operated means transfers to the storage station, a valve movable to a first position to operate the first pressure operated means and movable to a second position to operate the second pressure operated means,

a first electric motor means for moving the valve to the first position, a second electric motor means for moving the valve to the second position, a first means responsive to a predetermined pressure in one of the tires for energizing the first electric motor means, and means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for energizing the second electric motor means, said electric motor means including means for preventing operation of the valve by the later to be energized of said two electric motor means.

8. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a first position, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a second position angularly displaced from the first position, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support to transfer the tires between said stations, a first pressure operated means for actuating the rotating means to transfer one of said tires from the loading station to the storage station, a second pressure operated means for actuating the rotating means to transfer to the loading station that tire which the first pressure operated means transfers to the storage station, a valve movable to a first position to operate the first pressure operated means and movable to a second position to operate the second pressure operated means, a first electric motor means for moving the valve to the first position, a second electric motor means for moving the valve to the second position, a first means responsive to predetermined pressure in one tire for completing a circuit through the first electric motor means, means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for completing a circuit through the second electric motor means, said electric motor means including means for preventing operation of the valve by the latter to be energized of said electric motor means, and means responsive to the passage of a predetermined time after operation of the first pressure operated means for interrupting the circuit through the first electric motor means.

9. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a first position, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a second position angularly displaced from the first position, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly -of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support to transfer the tires between said stations, a first pressure operated means for actuating the rotating means to transfer one of said tires from the loading station to the storage station, a second pressure operated means for actuating the rotating means to transfer to the loading station that tire which the first pressure operated means transfers to the storage station, a valve movable to a first position to operate the first pressure operated means and movable to a second position to operate the second pressure operated means, a first electric motor means for moving the valve to the first position, a second electric motor means for moving the valve to the second position, a first means responsive to predetermined pressure in one tire for completing a circuit through the first electric motor means, means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for completing a circuit through the second electric motor means, said electric motor means including means for preventing operation of the valve by the latter to be energized of said electric motor means, and means responsive to the passage of a predetermined time after operation of each pressure responsive means for interrupting the circuit through the corresponding electric motor means.

10. A tire inflation machine comprising in combination, a tire receiving support, an inflation support for a pair of tires and adapted to be rotated to transfer the tires between a loading station and a storage station, a first separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a first position, a second separable tire chuck having a half fixed to the inflation support at a second position angularly displaced from the first position, means for assembling each chuck with a tire therein, means responsive to assembly of either chuck for maintaining both tires inflated, means for rotating the inflation support to transfer the tires between said stations, a first pressure operated means for actuating the rotating means to transfer one of said tires from the loading station to the storage station, a second pressure operated means for actuating the rotating means to transfer to the loading station that tire which the first pressure operated means transfers to the storage station, a valve movable to a first position to operate the first pressure operated means and movable to a second position to operate the second pressure operated means, a first electric motor means for moving the valve to the first position, a second electric motor means for moving the valve to the second position, a first means responsive to predetermined pressure in one tire for completing a circuit through the first electric motor means, means responsive to a predetermined pressure in the other tire for completing a circuit through the second electric motor means, said electric motor means including means for preventing operation of the valve by the latter to be energized of said electric motor means, means responsive to the passage of a predetermined time after operation of each pressure responsive means for interrupting the circuit through the corresponding electric motor means, a timing device which when started measures a predetermined period of time and signals the ending of such period, means responsive to rotation of the inflation support for starting the timing device, means responsive to the signal of the timing device for discharging from the machine the tire in the loading position and for reassembling the chuck of the discharged tire with another tire therein, means responsive to reassembling of the chuck for inflating said other tire, and means responsive to the building up of a predetermined pressure in said other tire for re-establishing the interrupted circuit to the electric motor means corresponding to said other tire.

11. Tire inflation apparatus comprising a frame, a tire inflation support member mounted on said frame for rotation about a fixed axis, a plurality of tire chuck units mounted upon said inflation support member at symmetrically spaced locations about said axis, each of said chuck units having a first chuck half fixed to said inflation support member and a separable mating second chuck half, cooperable chuck locking means on each first chuck half and its mating second chuck half for releasably locking the chuck halves to each other to establish a locked condition of the chuck unit, cooperable tire gripping means on the halves of each chuck unit operable to grip and support a tire on the chuck unit (1) for inflation when the chuck unit is locked and (2) for co-rotation with said support member, means for inflating a tire supported upon a locked chuck unit, means for rotating said support member in step-by-step rotation in angular increments corresponding to the spacing of said chuck units about said axis to rotationally position said chuck units in succession at a first position relative to said frame at which first position the chuck units each, in turn, generally underlie said support member, means operable upon the rotation of a first chuck unit having a first tire locked therein to said first position for unlocking the locking means of the first chuck unit, means for moving the second chuck half of the first chuck unit radially away from said inflation support with said first tire supported upon said second chuck half and for returning the second chuck half to mating engagement with said first chuck half, means operable during movement of said second chuck half radially away from said support to remove said first tire from said second chuck half and to place a second tire on said second chuck half upon subsequent movement of said chuck half radially toward said support member, and means for locking the locking means of said first chuck unit with said second tire gripped therein upon the restoring of the second chuck half to mating engagement with its first chuck half, said last named means being operable to lock the locking means prior to rotation of said support member (1) to remove said first chuck unit from said first position and (2) to position a second and difierent chuck unit at said first position.

12. In an apparatus to accommodate cooling of a tire after vulcanization and wherein a tire is elevated from a support path, clamped and inflated in a first position and then moved to a remote position for cooling while a second tire on the support path is being elevated, clamped and inflated in the first position, the improvements of a rotatable carriage movable arcuately to two adjusted positions about a fixed horizontal axis, means on said carriage for engaging, clamping and inflating a tire comprising a pair of separable closure elements having annular surfaces engageable, respectively, with the opposite beads of a tire, means fixing one of said elements to said carriage, means for moving the other of said elements relative to the carriage to a remote first position at which the element surfaces are spaced apart through a distance greater than the thickness of a tire and at which the other of said elements is positioned beneath said support path and to a second position at which the element surfaces are spaced apart through a distance not greater than the distance between the beads of a tire and at which said other of said elements is positioned above said support path, and means for locking said elements to one another; means for interposing a tire between said elements when said other of said elements is in said first position; and means for arcuately moving said carriage about said axis only when said other of said elements is in said second position.

13. In a tire curing apparatus wherein tires are inflated and held during a cooling period following vulcanization; a stationary support frame, means defining a support path for a tire; a rotatable carriage journalled on said frame and overlying said support path; two closure pairs also overlying said support path, each such closure pair comprising two opposed members having confronting annular seats for engaging the beads of said tire, respectively, one member of each closure pair being mounted on said carriage for rotation therewith and the other member of each closure pair being relatively movable toward and away from said one member, partial rotation of said carriage alternately interposing different ones of said closure pairs between said carriage and said support path; means for lowering and raising said other member of the interposed pair to and from a remote position underlying said tire support path and a closed position adjacent said one member of said interposed pair; means for positioning a tire on said support path to be interposed between said other member when in its said remote position and said one member mounted on said carriage, so that raising said other member to its closed position will elevate said tire to be clamped between said members of said interposed closure pair with the tire beads engaged by the seats of said closure pair; means to inflate the so-clamped tire; and means for partially rotating said carriage to elevate the clamped and inflated tire from proximity to said support path and to interpose the other of said closure pairs between said support station and said carriage.

14. Apparatus for holding and inflating tires during a cooling period following vulcanization, comprising, a support path for a tire, a stationary frame adjacent said support path, a carriage carried by said stationary frame and rotatable about a horizontal axis located above said support path, two closure pairs overlying said support path, each closure pair comprising opposed members each having an annular seat engageable with a tire bead, one member of each such closure pair being secured to said carriage for rotation therewith and the other member of each such pair being movable relative to said carriage in a direction radial to the axis and toward and away from the said one member of such pair, means selectively to move said other movable member away from said carriage and beneath said support path, so that the closure members will be separated with the one member carried by the carriage being above the plane of said support path and said other member being below said plane, means to position a tire on said support path in alignment with and interposed between said separated closure members, means to elevate said other closure member and said tire to engage the annular seats of said one pair with the beads of said tire, means to inflate said tire, and means to rotate said carriage to move said one closure pair and said tire to a position above said horizontal axis and to position another of said closure pairs beneath said horizontal axis.

15. Apparatus for holding and inflating a plurality of tires during a cooling period following vulcanization, and including means defining a support path for a pair of tires in side-by-side relation and a stationary frame adjacent said support path, the improvements of one elongated rotatable carriage journalled by said stationary frame for rotation about a horizontal axis overlying said path, two radially opposed closure pairs on said carriage and vertically aligned with each of the tires on said support path, respectively, there being four closure pairs in all, each closure pair comprising two opposed members each having a seat engageable with a tire bead, a first member of each closure pair being fixed on said carriage and the second member of each of said pairs being mounted for movement relative to said first member of each pair, means for rotating said carriage to selectively position first one and then the other of said closure pairs aligned with each tire between said axis and the respective tire therebelow, means for simultaneously moving the second members of those pairs so positioned downwardly from said carriage and to a position beneath said support path, so that the closure members of each such pair will be separated one below and one above the plane of said support path, means to position a pair of tires on said support path in alignment with said separated closure members, respectively, means to elevate said second members and the aligned pair of tires into contact with the corresponding first members, means for locking the members of each closure pair to one another with the respective tire clamped therebetween, and means to inflate each such clamped tire, the distance between said axis and said support path being sufiicient to accommodate rotational movement of said inflated tires to a position above said axis as said carriage is rotated.

16. In an apparatus to accommodate cooling of tires after vulcanization and wherein tires are engaged, clamped and inflated in a first position and then moved to a remote position for cooling, the improvements of a carriage arcuately movable about a horizontal axis to two adjusted positions corresponding to the above defined first position and remote position, a conveyor underlying said carriage and defining a tire delivery station adapted to receive two tires in side-by-side relation, said station having an elongated aperture parallel to the axis of said carriage, two closure pairs carried by said carriage, said pairs being interposed between said axis and said conveyor and being spaced in the same relation as the tires on said conveyor, each of said closure pairs including one annular tire beadengaging member secured to the carriage in fixed corotatable fashion and a second annular tire bead-engaging member movable relative to the one member and rela- 

12. IN AN APPARATUS TO ACCOMMODATE COOLING OF A TIRE AFTER VULCANIZATION AND WHEREIN A TIRE IS ELEVATED FROM A SUPPORT PATH, CLAMPED AND INFLATED IN A FIRST POSITION AND THEN MOVED TO A REMOTE POSITION FOR COOLING WHILE A SECOND TIRE ON THE SUPPORT PATH IS BEING ELEVATED, CLAMPED AND INFLATED IN THE FIRST POSITION, THE IMPROVEMENTS OF A ROTATABLE CARRIAGE MOVABLE ARCUATELY TO TWO ADJUSTED POSITIONS ABOUT A FIXED HORIZONTAL AXIS, MEANS ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR ENGAGING, CLAMPING AND INFLATING A TIRE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SEPARABLE CLOSURE ELEMENTS HAVING ANNULAR SURFACES ENGAGEABLE, RESPECTIVELY, WITH THE OPPOSITE BEADS OF A TIRE, MEANS FIXING ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS TO SAID CARRIAGE, MEANS FOR MOVING THE OTHER TO SAID ELEMENTS RELATIVE TO THE CARRIAGE TO A REMOTE FIRST POSITION AT WHICH THE ELEMENT SURFACES ARE SPACED APART THROUGH A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF A TIRE AND AT WHICH THE OTEHR OF SAID ELEMENTS IS POSITIONED BENEATH SAID SUPPORT PATH AND TO SECOND POSITION AT WHICH THE ELEMENT SURFACES ARE SPACED APART THROUGH A DISTANCE NOT GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BEADS OF A TIRE AND AT WHICH SAID OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS IS POSITIONED ABOVE SAID SUPPORT PATH, AND MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID ELEMENTS TO ONE ANOTHER; MEANS FOR INTERPOSING A TIRE BETWEEN SAID ELEMENTS WHEN SAID OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION; AND MEANS FOR ARCUATELY MOVING SAID CARRIAGE ABOUT SAID AXIS ONLY WHEN SAID OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION. 